Seahawks coach Pete Carroll indicated the team will already start to focus on next season. “The first meeting that we’ll have will be tomorrow,” he said. “That starts tomorrow. Our guys would be surprised if we didn’t. We really have an eye on what’s coming, and that we don’t dwell on what just happened.”

Every NFL team tries to stockpile Vince Lombardi trophies in a short window. Few are successful. Here’s what Seattle has to do in order to continue competing for Super Bowl titles.

To-do list

Wide receiver Golden Tate is a free agent this offseason. While he was solid this season (64 receptions, 898 yards, five touchdowns), Seattle has a better option already locked up at the position with Percy Harvin. Both players have similar styles and builds, but Harvin is more dynamic. The big issue with Harvin has been staying healthy. Provided he does, the Seahawks can save some money by letting Tate walk. Seattle must continue to be judicious with its upcoming free agents. Defensive end Michael Bennett is more of a priority than Tate. Depending on the player, if he becomes too expensive, let him walk.

The Seahawks have the fourth-youngest team in the NFL. They have to maximize current rookie deals for as long as they can. Eventually, they’ll have to fork over significant cash to keep quarterback Russell Wilson and defensive backs Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. Sherman and Thomas are priorities because their rookie deals expire in 2014. They’ll command major offers if they test the open market. Seattle should work to lock up at least one of the two defensive backs before the start of next season. It can’t afford to wait until the end of next season to negotiate these deals. Secure one for the long-term, and then try to do everything to lock up the other next year. As for Wilson, he has two more years until his rookie deal expires. The Seahawks need to enjoy it now, because come 2016, they’ll have to pay him, too.

Seattle built its championship through unheralded, low-round draft picks like Sherman, Thomas and safety Kam Chancellor. It takes meticulous scouting and a unified vision for this to be successful in the NFL, but Carroll and general manager John Schneider have figured it out. The Seahawks need to continue hitting on their draft picks and uncovering players that other teams overlook. The reality is that the franchise won’t be able to keep all of its stars. The best way to overcome that is to find the next wave of them in the draft.

There are a lot of things Seattle needs to do to keep being one of the best teams in the NFL. Practice and preparation are paramount. As far as the roster goes, however, the recipe is fairly simple: they just have to keep doing what they did that got them to Super Bowl XLVIII in the first place.